Dangerous Love
by valinorean
Summary: :: For Revision :: When Harry and Draco decides to play a prank on the whole school, slash and counterslash ensues. :: Harry/Draco SLASH :: Unbetaed, written pre-OoTP
1. Prologue

**Dangerous Love  
**_by valacirca_

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

Eyes skimmed over the latest news and gossip on The Daily Prophet lazily, stopping abruptly at an article that took up most of the space on the page. With big, bold letters, the article screamed: _The Boy Who Lived to Play for the Other Team__._

_Skeeter. Figures._

The boy holding the paper took his time reading the article. He was a little too early for the train. He snorted at all the exaggerations that the famous reporter wrote. Clearly, it was to bring more color to the featured article. On one side was the photo of the famous Harry Potter dressed in his black robes with the insignia of the Order of the Phoenix on the left breast pocket, smiling embarrassedly at the camera.

He remembered that day all too well. It was a week after the defeat of Voldemort and every wizarding community had celebrated. Flocks of owls were flying over Muggle towns, shooting stars filled the night sky, and Ministry officially had their hands full putting memory charms on Muggles who noticed the peculiarities of their overjoyed neighbors.

That was over a year ago. The famous Harry Potter was still the famous Harry Potter, but a lot of other heroes had been created by the Dark times as well. Now, things have eventually mellowed down to almost normal—to the point of being practically boring.

Folding the newspaper neatly, the boy set it down beside him on the bench on Platform 9¾ and began to scheme.

* * *

Harry Potter was officially angry. No, frustrated. Almost ready to kill. Throwing the shreds of the mutilated Daily Prophet into the trash bin, he carted his things towards Platform 9¾. He decided to come early to avoid the crowd and sulk the whole way to Hogwarts.

It wasn't that his being gay was a big secret. Almost half of the population in Hogwarts already knew this and the other half already have a clue. A lot of girls had been disappointed then but it really didn't become such a big thing. It was simply just something that happens to some of the boys their age as far as everyone was concerned. It just so happened that the boy was Harry Potter. _The_ Harry Potter. But other that a very few hostile looks, the rest of Hogwarts basically couldn't care less.

However, Rita Skeeter publishing it on the Daily Prophet and making him look like Hogwarts' biggest sex symbol (which was yet to be determined) was more than enough to get him all worked up and utterly embarrassed at the same time.

Harry quickly passed through the barrier not even checking to see if any Muggle was looking or not. Muttering a few choice curses under his breath he stormed down an empty bench and decided to wait for the train while thinking about all the evil things that he wanted to do to Skeeter.

"You're sitting on my bench."

Harry looked up to the familiar drawl that snapped at him. Emerald green met impassive grey eyes then flickered down to the newspaper lying between them, then down to the trunk on the side of the bench. Sure enough, the large trunk was bearing the seal of the Malfoy crest.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

In the past few years, the childish squabbles and petty hallway duels have turned into cool aggressiveness and slick underhanded tactics. No longer was there fierceness or the brute physical contact that fanned the flame of their early rivalry. It had turned into a force of habit to snap a witty retort or crack a joke at the expense of the other more than anything else. A habit that the whole school had acquired when they had gotten used to the squabblings, duelings, pranks and practical jokes that both sides practice. But the intensity and impact was still the same. They just grew up a little, that's all.

But in this habit, Harry had unconsciously found a source of comfort. A sense of normalcy, a solid ground in the storms of change during the time of Voldemort's rise to power. It was that only thing that hadn't changed while the world spuns around them.

Until now.

Last year had been a little too dull in Harry's opinion. And right now he was just itching for a fight.

"I see you've heard," said Harry. "Here to rub it in, Malfoy?" At any other time, he wouldn't have picked a fight with Malfoy just before the start of the school year, but right now he was angry and wanted release. He'd be damned not to grab the opportunity that just smacked him in the face. If they were lucky, the brawl would be finished before the train arrives.

Malfoy just shrugged in reply and elegantly sat down with the grace of a cat, crossing his arms across his chest.

"What are you doing here so early anyway? Your parents too eager to get rid of you?" Harry taunted. _Come on, come on_, thought Harry. _Say something_.

"Can it Potter, you know I'm still my parent's brat," Malfoy replied coolly, then he turned to the other boy beside him. "I know you're itching for a fight, but I have a better idea."

Harry eyed him warily. "Who says I trust you enough to hear what you have to say?"

"It's not as if I could hand you over to the Dark Lord afterwards," Malfoy retorted.

Harry almost snickered at the thought. "Are you trying to offer you hand in friendship again, Malfoy?"

"In your dreams, Potter. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Yeah? So why the sudden change of heart?"

"Let's just say…I'm bored."

Bored.

Exactly.

"So, what do you have in mind?"

* * *

Harry looked at Malfoy skeptically.

Malfoy stared back expectantly.

"I'm not so sure…" Harry said warily.

"Look," said Malfoy hastily. "I see Weasel and Granger coming already. Just think about it okay?" With that the pale boy started walking away just as Ron and Hermione came bounding up to him.

"What did the ferret want, Harry?" said Ron looking suspiciously at Malfoy's retreating back.

"How's your vacation Harry?" said Hermione, as if she didn't hear Ron's question. "I hope you didn't lay off studying, remember this _is _our last year. You two seem to put all that off at the last minute."

"Summer is fine 'Mione, and Malfoy just wanted to talk, Ron," said Harry. Maybe he could start right now and see what happens? Somehow, his Slytherin side was creeping up on him.

"Yeah, right," muttered Ron. "Just wants to talk."

"Hey Malfoy!" Harry cried before Malfoy got lost in the crowd. He turned at the sound of his name. "I'll see you inside the train, okay?"

The blond nodded and gave a small smirk that passed off for a smile.

Ron turned to his best friend, his face contorting into confusion and aghast, while Hermione looked curiously at Harry then back to Malfoy.

"Like I said Ron," Harry said mysteriously. "He just wanted to talk." He shrugged and went to get his trunk, ready to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express.

* * *

"So, have you decided yet?" Malfoy drawled lazily, gazing at the passing scenery.

Harry fidgeted a bit. When he went to the last compartment at the back of the train, he had every intention of going along with Malfoy's plan. It was funny, in a sick kind of way, but sure enough it was a way to add a little spice to the prospect of going to school this year. Call it a pull on his Slytherin side if you will.

But now, seeing Malfoy in person seemed to raise a slight hesitation in him. He took a deep breath. He came here to do something and he sure won't come out without doing it.

"Yeah," said Harry. "It's crazy, but sounds like fun." He gave Malfoy a smirk that even the Slytherin would be proud of.

"I thought you would," Malfoy said, returning a grin. He then held out his hand to seal their deal, mirroring their second encounter all those years ago, but this time Harry Potter took it willingly.

But just as they were about to let go, the door suddenly burst open and Hermione stepped in, followed closely by Ron and Colin Creevey.

"Harry, did you know what Colin has been saying about you all over the—" Hermione stopped in mid-sentence.

"YOU!" cried the enraged Ron.

A moment of stunned silence followed them, eyes locked on the clasped hand of the two boys. Then Colin cried excitedly, "I knew it! I knew it! I _told_ you Draco Malfoy is Harry's boyfriend!"


	2. Part One

**Dangerous Love  
**_by valacirca_

* * *

**Part One**

* * *

By the time the train reached Hogwarts, almost everyone had been informed of what Colin Creevey saw at the last compartment at the end of the train. Of course, nobody believed him because…well, just because. It was utterly ridiculous to even think that something like that could happen, especially when those involved happened to be Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy: sworn enemies and bitter rivals.

On this matter, however, both Ron and Hermione refused to acknowledge anything.

But then again, Harry Potter _was_ gay. It says so on The Daily Prophet. And Draco Malfoy had been known to play for both teams. So other than the fact that they were two of the hottest and most eligible men in Hogwarts, nearly everyone felt that they would make a great couple…aesthetically that is.

As Seekers of their own teams, both had enough workout to be blessed with finely toned muscles, yet slender enough for a Seeker's built. Draco Malfoy, the now Captain of the defending champions, the Slytherin team, had been called _the_ Sex God behind his back (this he knew of course, but never let on that he knew).

Whereas Harry Potter, who had been offered the position of Captain and then graciously declined, have been the talk of school last year when he finally came out. _How good is he? Is he a giver or a taker? Can he still get it up if he's with a girl?_ These were the things that people get curious of in these days of peace.

So when rumors came out that the two were dating, it had been the self appointed task of the school grapevine, mostly composed of Ravenclaw girls and headed by the seventh year Mandy Brocklehurst, to find out if there was any grain of truth about the matter.

Their first real clue came when an eagle owl dropped a note on Harry's plate one breakfast, a week after the train incident. Reading the note and quickly scrawling a reply at the back, he then tied the parchment to the owl's leg.

The owl flew directly back to its owner just across the room towards the Slytherin table where it perched with grace on the shoulder of a certain blond boy. Anyone not sleepy enough or too busy shoveling their breakfast down their throats would have noticed that subtle display of…non-hostility between the two.

Malfoy looked up and gave a quick nod to Harry, who seemed content at the hush that fell on the end of the Ravenclaw table. He tilted his head towards The Grapevines as if asking _'What?'_ and they all turned back to their breakfast.

But once the chatter of the students became louder and the morning commotion started, The Grapevines began to break down their schedules and 'got down to serious business.' Being the school's official grapevine was a hard work and they take pride in knowing _everything_ there is to know about anybody in school.

"Okay," said Mandy Brocklehurst. "Chris, you have Arithmancy with Malfoy right? So your job is to gather anything there is to know about him there. Now, who has Divinations with Potter this year?"

"I do," replied Lisa Turpin, another seventh year Ravenclaw. "I'll try to get a look on his charts and astrology readings, see if there's anything there that involves Malfoy."

"Good," said Mandy. "Double DADA with Gryffindors shouldn't be a problem, as well as Double Herbology with the Slytherins. However, the most crucial part, Gryffindor and Slytherin double potions, is a problem."

A murmur of agreement rippled over the tight knit group.

"Wait," said Lisa. "I think I know the perfect way." With that she bent her head low and whispered the plan. Anybody who saw the identical grins on the faces of the Ravenclaws would think that the Slytherins had taken Polyjuice potion and invaded their table.

"Okay, so who's going to stalk them during breaks?"

* * *

"Potter," the soft hiss echoed through the empty corridor. Harry moved over to the coat of armor and found Malfoy leaning against the wall looking annoyed.

"I thought we were supposed to meet inside an empty classroom beside this armor?" asked Harry.

"It disappeared," came the annoyed reply from Malfoy.

"Oh."

"Anyway," Malfoy said urgently, "did you get my note?"

"You mean that 'love note' you slipped in my notes during potions?" asked Harry with a grin.

"Yeah," replied Malfoy. "How'd you know that Granger was the Grapevine spy anyway?"

"She's my friend. I guess I know her enough," Harry replied shrugging.

"Some friend," Malfoy muttered under his breath, but he seemed clearly amused that Hermione was the Grapevine spy.

"Okay, now let's get this straight. We have rules, okay?" Harry said, taking out and unfolding the 'love note.' It was a list of the taboos in their 'deal.' "One no snogging—" A snort came from Malfoy. "Two no shagging—" "Did we even have to put that there?" "—and three no telling anyone."

"And that includes Granger and Weasel, Potter," Malfoy reminded Harry.

"But what if it's between life and death? Does that count?"

"Who'd kill you? My father?" sneered Malfoy, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, your father _was_ a Death Eater…"

"Well, he's in Azkaban now."

Despite all the accusations that Lucius Malfoy had been charged with after the defeat of Voldemort, no one had been able to prove most of them and was never given the Kiss. Without Voldemort urging on his evil desires, Lucius became satisfied with what he had: his life. Yes, Draco Malfoy knew his father was a Dark Wizard. Dark, but apparently, no longer evil.

"Yeah? Well—"

"Shh!"

Malfoy quickly grabbed Harry's shoulder and pushed him against the wall beside one of the coat of armors half-hiding them from view. Trapping the Gryffindor effectively between him and the wall, he leaned down and whispered to the other boy's ear.

"Quick put your hands on my waist, a Ravenclaw Grapevine is coming," Malfoy whispered against Harry's ear.

Harry quickly complied and Draco leaned in closer putting his hand against the wall on the other side of Harry's head. A sharp gasp was heard, followed by the sound of quickly retreating footsteps. A few seconds later, the corridor was filled with howls of laughter from the two boys.

The two finally had to stop when Professor McGonagall came down the corridors and deducting points from each of their houses for disrupting the class she was holding on a nearby classroom. She then went away but not before giving them one last backward glance.

"Okay," said Harry still wheezing. "Where were we again?"

"I think," said Malfoy who was still chuckling, "we were discussing the rules, before we got interrupted."

"Oh yeah," said Harry, choking down his own laughter.

"Okay," said Malfoy. "How about you can tell the Headmaster _only if_ you're in _real_ danger."

"'K," said Harry. "Just don't go running to your mother when this thing blows out of proportion."

"Deal."

"And no calling of Mudblood and insulting Ron about money."

"Fine, if they lay off the cracks on my parents. Anything else?"

"Oh," said Harry. "What about Quidditch?"

"What do you mean 'what about Quidditch?'" countered Malfoy.

Harry just shrugged. "Any rules regarding Quidditch?"

"You wish Potter," Malfoy said half sneering. "We're going to win _again _this year."

"Last year was a fluke," replied Harry then gave Malfoy a challenging look. "Fine, no rules in Quidditch. I'm taking you down myself."

"Go ahead and try."

There was a moment of tense silence as sparks all but flew around them. Until Malfoy remembered something.

"By the way," Malfoy as if nothing had happened, "the Head Girl is making her rounds on Friday 10:30. Make sure she sees us up in the Astronomy Tower."

As the Head Girl, Mandy Brocklehurst had many ways of getting information. Not to mention that she could get away with a lot of the things normal students couldn't. These were some of the things that made her invaluable to the Grapevines.

"Sure," replied Harry. "Well, I'll see you around then. I have Divinations in ten minutes. Oh and Malfoy, one more thing. You'll be calling me Harry from now on."

* * *

Lisa Turpin could not believe her luck. It was a wonderful Friday afternoon and it was her turn to 'stalk' Potter. But just as she was rounding a corner, she saw Potter and Malfoy bumped into each other, as if it was deliberate. Quick eyes allowed her to observe the oh-so-subtle way Malfoy brushed past Potter and pressed a note to the other's palm. Once Malfoy was gone, Potter began unfolding the note.

_Oh God! Notepassing in corridors!_ thought Lisa. Looking hungrily at the piece of parchment, she prayed to all the gods she knew that the note would fall into her greedy hands.

And the gods heard her.

Potter quickly crumpled the note then carelessly slipped it down the pocket of his robe. But the note didn't fall inside. Instead, is fluttered sown to the floor without Potter noticing as he continued walking.

Lisa quickly dived for that precious note, pushing other students away and almost tripping over her feet in the process. Her eyes grew wide when she read what's inside. She then scrambled to the direction of the library hoping to find Mandy there.

What she didn't know was that her every move was being watched by a pair of calculating grey eyes.

* * *

"Are you sure this note came from Malfoy?" asked Mandy for the nth time.

"Yes! Yes! _Yes!_" cried Lisa excitedly which earned her glares from the other students who were studying.

"This would prove to be interesting," said Mandy as she closed her book, but not before inserting the note from Draco which read:

_Astronomy Tower 11:00 Friday D_

* * *

At exactly 10:45 Harry quietly crept up from his bed with the Marauder's Map in one hand and his wand on the other.

"Harry?" came the sleepy voce of Ron who was quietly sitting up. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I—umm—"

"Oh wait," said Ron groaning slightly. "If it's what I think it is, then don't tell me. I don't wanna know. Really."

"Uh, okay…" replied Harry grinning slightly at his best friend.

* * *

"Are you sure she'll come up here?" asked Draco anxiously when Potter got to the tower.

"Positive. I heard some of the Grapevines talking about it during DADA," said Potter. Glancing over the map—another surprise from Potter—they suddenly noticed the dot that says 'Mandy Brocklehurst' on it walk up the stairs towards the Astronomy Tower.

"Quick! She's coming up!" Potter whispered loudly pushing him out the door. "Go!"

Outside Draco waited for the footsteps to come, but nothing came. _Silencing spell,_ thought Draco immediately. He then saw the shadow that fell over the moonlight and he knew she was coming.

Draco tapped the door lightly twice then entered just in time to alow Mandy to see the ends of his robes go in and the door closed with a soft click. Inside, Draco couldn't help but grin and gave a thumbs-up sign to Potter.

Both looking at the map, they could see Mandy's dot come very near the door. Potter motioned to Draco that Mandy was listening on the other side. Grinning wickedly, Draco let out a small moan from the depths of his vocal chords.

Potter's eyes grew wide and then stifled a gasp as Draco clamped the other boy's mouth with his hand. Shaking with mirth, Potter couldn't seem to stop laughing at Draco, who was having a hard time shutting up the other boy. He quickly waved his wand to cast a Silencing Spell around the room.

Less then a second later, the room was filled with Potter's laughter.

"Potter! You idiot!" cried an extremely annoyed Draco. "You almost gave us away!"

"I'm sorry!" said the other boy, who did not look sorry in the least and still shaking with laughter. "It's just that—no wonder they call you 'Sex God,' you're extremely good at _faking_ it!" And another stream of laughter filled the room.

"I'll have you know that that trick is very useful at times," retorted the red-faced Draco hotly.

* * *

By Saturday night, nearly the whole school knew about Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's midnight rendezvous at the Astronomy Tower. Of course, it was courtesy of The Grapevines. But a lot were still skeptical about it and didn't believe it instantly. But breakfast the Sunday had been an eye opener.

Harry had been flying over the Quidditch pitch that Sunday morning just before breakfast. He needed to feel the cool breeze on his face. It was then that Draco came along.

"Potter, come down here. I need to talk to you," said Draco.

"Hey Drac, what's the problem?" asked Harry flying low and hovered ten feet above the ground slowly going around Draco in a wide circle.

"_That_," stated the blond, "is the problem."

"Huh?"

"My _name_, Potter," said Draco exasperatedly, "is Draco. Not Drac."

"Okay, whatever you say Drakie," grinned Harry impishly.

"Arrgh! I said DRACO. Draay-coh!"

"Watch it, if flame starts to come out of your nostrils I may have to call you Firedrake."

"Shut up, you git." A loud bang came from the end of Draco's wand and out came a small stinging hex. They next thing Harry knew, he was falling and his arse landing smack on the hard ground.

"Ow! What the fuck, Malfoy?" cried Harry, rubbing his sore behind.

"Serves you right for being a git," said Draco while helping Harry up. Then his expression became contrite. "Are you hurt badly? Broken bones?"

"You wish," replied Harry. "Just a little sore."

Together they walked towards the castle, but not before Harry slightly smacked Draco upside the head. And so the bickering continued until they got inside.

A hush fell over the Great Hall as both Harry and Draco entered. It was clear to all that Harry was walking in a funny way and that Draco was trying to support him by laying a hand on his back and escorting him to the Gryffindor table.

"What did you do now, ferret?" said Ron standing up and glaring at the Slytherin.

"None of you business, Weasel," replied Draco.

"Harry are you okay?" asked Hermione helping him to sit down. "Do you need to go see Madam Pomfrey?"

"I'm fine. My arse hurts a bit though," Harry said glaring at Draco. "And it's all his fault," he added even before he could think and stop himself from saying it.

Draco almost choked and Harry turned bright red. Hoots and catcalls rang out from neighboring chairs and tables and the Grapevines were smiling brilliantly.

"I did NOT need to hear that!" cried Ron banging his head on the table.

And so, that was how the school learned about the now-not-so-secret relationship between 'enemies-turned-lovers' Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. And from that day on, people no longer say that Grapevines news were based on pure rumors. As for Mandy Brocklehurst, it was said that _that_ was her last big achievement as the head of the Grapevines before she graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


	3. Part Two

**Dangerous Love  
**_by valacirca_

* * *

**Part Two**

* * *

Professor Severus Snape. Potions Master, Head of House Slytherin, a former Death Eater and a War Hero. Short-tempered, biased towards his own house, and walks around with a dark cloud hanging over him. That was how most people see him. No one messes with him, and even the majority of the faculty was afraid of him.

In everyone's opinion, the Potions Master needed to get laid a little more frequently. But none would dare touch a werewolf's mate, especially since said werewolf has been on a two-year vacation from teaching and was on the road to becoming a full human (very irritable these creatures were during that state of therapy).

And so the Potions Master was likewise extremely sour at the current condition he was in. He'd always been like that anyway, so what was everyone complaining about?

During his free time, Severus Snape never spend time on the teacher's lounge, preferring the quiet solitude of his rooms in the dungeons. The only two times that he was required to attend such gatherings with the teachers were during staff meetings and meals at the Great Hall.

But every once in a while, Severus Snape would be seen reading quietly on the corner of the teacher's lounge, sprawled on a large black Muggle beanbag. It was one of the very few things that assuaged the faculty that Snape _was_ human after all.

So everyone was stunned when one morning Snape entered the faculty lounge, grabbed a cup of tea and sat on the stuffy purple couch at the center of the room. Everyone looked on curiously.

"So, Severus," said the Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout, cheerily. She seemed to be the only one undaunted by the Professor's dark and gloomy image. "Have you heard of the latest gossip from the students?"

Almost immediately, everyone in the room turned their attention to the conversation.

"I heard they've been at it for quite some time now," remarked Madam Pince.

"I think the Grapevine just got a little too creative," replied Madam Hooch.

"Oh shush all of you," chastised the McGonagall. "Anyone who knows those two enough would be able to say that there's nothing going on. I've had to keep both my eyes on them for the past six years, don't you think so Severus?"

"Pardon?" Snape said confusedly.

"Potter and Malfoy of course," said the Herbology teacher.

Severus blinked. "What about them?" he asked getting slightly irritated. He never liked not knowing what was going on.

"Well, they say that—"

"Ahem," called the voice of the Headmaster who was standing at the door of the faculty lounge. "Severus, if you have a moment, I need to speak with you. And Poppy, I need your help too, if you don't mind."

The Potions Master never got to hear the rest of the story. By the time he finished brewing the special potion the Headmaster asked, the evening's conversation had disappeared completely from his mind.

It was Monday during class that he remembered. Everyone was seated when Professor Snape noticed an empty table in front of the room. Surveying the room, he mentally ticked off names of the students to see who would dare be late for his class. He gave a slight sneer when he found out.

_Potter,_ he thought. Only Potter would have the cheek to be late for his class. But his eyebrow raised a fraction when he saw that Malfoy was also missing_. Must be Potter's fault again,_ he concluded.

Then the door suddenly opened and in came the two, running to the front of the room where the only two remaining seats left were in front of the Potions Master himself. They ducked to avoid the cold gaze.

"Five points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor for being late," said the Potions Master. "I'm disappointed in you Mr. Malfoy. You should have known better than to be late because of the likes of Potter."

The two wisely remained silent as the Potions Master rambled on.

"And as punishment Mr. Malfoy, you shall be assigned as Potter's partner for today's potion. I hope by next meeting you will have learned your lesson on being late. As for the rest of you, pair up."

Snape saw that the two just exchanged raised eyebrows, but not a single cry of protest was heard.

_Odd,_ thought Severus. _What was that they were saying about Potter and Malfoy again?_

* * *

As soon as the Potions Master disappeared in the storeroom, Harry suddenly turned to to Draco. "Malfoy," whispered Harry from the corner of his mouth. "We're being watched."

"Hm?" Draco looked up from stirring the green glob in their cauldron. He quickly surveyed the room looking for the said onlooker. Then he felt something sharp poke on his ribs.

"Stop that!" hissed Harry. "You're too obvious."

Draco quickly turned back to their potion and proceeded to act normally. "What do you mean we're being watched?" he asked.

"Wait here," said Harry. "I'll go see if my hunches are right." With that, Harry went to the back of the room where their friends were making their own potions.

Draco eyes followed Harry as he made his way towards his friends' table and realization hit him, along with a brilliant plan. He shuffled inside his bag and gave a silent "Aha!" when he found the piece of note he was looking for. Scanning the room as if afraid someone might catch him, Draco quickly slipped the letter among Harry's notes.

"Hey 'Mione, hey Ron," he heard Harry say as he casually strolled over to the Gryffindor side of the classroom.

"All right there, Harry?" asked Weasley, and Harry replied with a nod. "Well, at least you know your potion won't be sabotaged by Malfoy this time," continued Weasley wryly.

"Oh, I don't know," said Granger in a suspiciously casual voice. "I think Malfoy's been _quiet_ these past few days, don't you think so Harry?"

"Quiet?" Harry asked. Draco could almost hear the grin in the other boy's voice. "I don't know what you mean, 'Mione."

"Oh nothing, just you know, he seemed a little…nice," she said and Draco noticed the quick flick of Granger's eyes on their table where he sat, supposedly glaring at Potter for leaving him to work on their potion alone.

Weasley sniggered. "Malfoy? Nice! I'd kiss Snape the day Malfoy becomes nice to Harry."

Both Harry and Granger choked back a laugh. The image of Weasley going up to the icy Potions Master and giving him a big kiss was beyond hilarious. Little did he know that he might have to do just that.

"Oh, I don't know Ron," said Granger. "Who knows, maybe Harry and Malfoy might even be _friends_." The emphasis on the word was impossible to miss.

Draco saw Harry then giving Granger a 'you're really creeping me out' look. "Yeah, whatever you say. I'm just here to check if your potion looked anything like ours." Harry peeked into their cauldron, his movements a bit to exaggerated. "Looks fine enough. I'd better head before Snape deducts any more points from Gryffindor." With that Harry walked back to the front of the room.

"Funny," Draco heard Hermione muttering to herself. "He's paired up with the best Potions student and he comes to us to check if theirs is brewing right."

"So? How'd it go?" Draco muttered under his breath as soon as Harry sat down beside him.

"Definitely a Grapevine spy," said Harry. "You should hear the way she said about you being nice."

"I did," Draco gave a slight chuckle. "By the way, don't shuffle your notes too much. I inserted a letter there while she was looking." And Harry's grin reflected the smirk on Draco's face.

* * *

"Harry! Harry!"

The raven haired boy turned to see Hermione waving frantically from the courtyard. She was dragging an annoyed-looking Ron behind her.

"What's going on?" asked Harry.

"Oh, no," groaned Ron. "Don't ask her that. Can you believe this? Now _she's_ the one who's getting us in trouble."

Harry looked confusedly from one friend to another.

"No, don't believe him Harry," she said. "I just wanted to ask if I could borrow your Invisibility Cloak, is all. Only for a few minutes, of course."

"Like we'd let you go there alone," snorted Ron in the background.

"What for?" asked Harry. "And where are you planning to go anyway?"

"Well, you see," started Hermione. "Umm…," there was a pause as she took a breath of air. "Rita Skeeter is trapped in the Potions classroom," she said in a very small voice. "AndIhavetorescueher," came out when she exhaled.

Harry blinked.

"And that's why she can't go alone," said Ron. "Snape would _kill_ her if he saw her sneaking in at night."

"That's why I wanted to borrow the Invisibility Cloak," she shot back.

"WAITAMINUTE!" bellowed Harry, and both friends turned to him from their bickering. "_What_ is that woman doing here? And _why_ do you want to rescue her?"

"Erm…well…you see…"

Had it been possible, Harry would have banged his head repeatedly on the castle walls as Hermione recounted how she saw the nosy journalist in the Potions lab (not telling of course that she and her _colleagues_ are the ones who invited her in in the first place), trapped her in a jar (to safely transport her anywhere), but left the said jar behind in the storeroom (in her haste to go and stalk Malfoy in the halls – it was her turn today).

* * *

Draco silently closed the door of the Potions lab. He was supposed to meet Professor Snape there for his extra credit potions report (not that he was sucking up of anything, of course) but when he reached the lab, the Potions Master was nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes of waiting, he gave up and decided to head back out.

As he rounded the corner, he went smack right into a very familiar raven-haired boy and they both toppled to the ground.

"Watch it Potty!"

"You watch it, Malfoy," said Harry rubbing his once again slightly sore behind.

"What are you doing on this side of the castle?" asked Draco.

"You don't wanna know," said Harry and he launched into the story of Rita Skeeter being trapped in the Potions lab—at least the version that Hermione told him.

"And you, being the good Gryffindor decided to go rescue the bug for your friend instead," mocked Draco.

"Beetle," replied Harry. "And no, I'm not trying to rescue that thing _for_ her. I'm rescuing that thing for _me!_ I don't want another page of 'The-story-of-my-life'."

"World still revolving around you, Potter?" sneered Draco. "Lucky for you, I don't want her messing up our deal. Come on, Snape's not around. We can go get her now."

The two made their way back to the Potions lab without much incident and was able to find the jar that contained the journalist.

"Okay I got it," Draco whispered loudly, quickly exiting the storeroom.

"Hurry, he might come back any minute," said the other boy and the two made their way towards the door. Harry was about to turn the knob when he heard a muffled curse.

"Damn!" said Draco from behind him.

"What?" hissed Harry.

"It flew," Draco said, his face going blank.

There was a moment of silence before they exchanged panic stricken looks.

But a small beetle wouldn't compare to a Snitch now would it? The exact same thought crossed their minds as the flittering bug flew by them. And the mad dash across the room began as the two broomless Seekers desperately try to grab the renegade bug.

"Behind you!"

"Grab it!"

"I got it!"

_CRASH!_

Two bodies lay sprawled on the dungeon floor, one on top of the other, as they quickly enclosed the journalist on a small jar. Draco held the bottle up to a grinning Harry as the beetle tried desperately to escape her glass prison. But their whoops of joy never left their throat as the classroom door burst open.

"POTTER! MALFOY!" bellowed the red faced Potions Master who was seething with anger. "NEVER IN MY YEARS OF TEACHING—"

"Professor, it's not what you think!"

"—SUCH BEHAVIOR CANNOT BE TOLERATED—"

"Shit. Draco, we might may gone a little too far..."

"—IN MY CLASSROOM NO LESS—"

"We're dead."

"—DETENTION!"

* * *

The faculty lounge was buzzing with excitement when Severus came in and immediately all eyes turned to him. At that point he couldn't tell which was worse, the cold stares of the Death Eater circle when he returned to the fold after the rise of Voldemort or the burning stares of a group of gossipy teachers.

"So Severus," the Herbology teacher came up to him immediately. "We heard that you gave Potter and Malfoy detention…"

"Yes," replied Severus coolly. "I did."

"And the detention is at midnight?"

"Yes," said the now confused Potions Master and he looked at the entire room full of fellow teachers. "Why do you ask?"

"Why did you give them detention in the first place?" asked Minerva interestedly.

Severus tried to hide his annoyance. "They were dueling in my _classroom_," he said, exasperation leaking out of his voice. "Tell me, what is the point of all this?"

"Well," started Madam Hooch. "You _do_ know that Potter and Malfoy are umm…a couple?"

It took the Potions Master a full twenty seconds to digest this piece of information.

_Potter and Malfoy in my classroom?_

_Potter and Malfoy in the FLOOR of my classroom?_

_I gave Potter and Malfoy detention at MIDNIGHT!_

The next week, all potions classes were held in a classroom on the other side of the castle. Nobody from the faculty asked why of course, however, Harry and Draco were never paired up in potions again, much to their relief.

* * *

_Teaser for Next Part:_

"I heard that Draco has a thing for Potter since first year."

"Well, I heard Potter blackmailed Draco and that's how it all started."

The portrait hole of the Slytherin Common room opened and in stepped the said Slythierin.

"Well, I heard differently," said Draco wearing a sly smile. "Would you like to know that _real_ story behind it?"


End file.
